AUSTRALIAN passengers aboard the beleaguered Greg Mortimer will be the first to disembark, Aurora Expeditions has told Cruise Weekly, with a repatriation flight to leave for Melbourne in 48-72 hours.
With the assistance of the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT), an Airbus A340, operated by an unnamed airline, will take Australians home, with Aurora having requested DFAT New Zealanders join them.
Both COVID-positive and -negative passengers will fly, with the company believing the two groups will be separated in different cabin areas.
“The plane going to Australia is set up with medical facilities for this type of situation and will be managed in alignment with current COVID-19 protocol to ensure the health and safety of all onboard,” Aurora said.
While the final flight cost per passenger is as yet undetermined, the hard cost equates to $15,000 per passenger, with Aurora working with the Government to “ensure this full amount is not passed on to each individual.”
Yesterday also saw the conclusion of COVID-19 testing aboard the ship, which revealed 128 on board have tested positive, while 89 have tested negative, with the company noting there were no fevers, and all passengers were asymptomatic.
The news is far less favourable for European and US guests, with each pax having to wait until they return a negative test result until their departure can be organised.
These passengers will fly home via Sao Paulo, and will be retested “every two or three days”.
The company is hoping European and US guests who have already tested negative will be able to begin their repatriation later in the week, but will still be subject to an additional test, and permission from the Uruguayan Government.
“There are many patients over 70 years of age, some of them with other chronic conditions such as heart and lung diseases,” said a doctor dispatched to the ship.
“Those patients may fall seriously ill tomorrow even if they looked well today…most of the passengers are well.”
